The origins of wine making are a bit obscure. Archaeologists have found in Armenia a cave containing items need to produce and hold wine, such as cups, jars for holding wine, presses and fermentation vats, all dating back to around 4300 BC. However, it is believed that wine making, and consumption is even older.
Evidence of 8000-year-old wine has been found in the region of Eurasia, now know as the country of Georgia.
Facts:
More wine grapes are planted than any other crop in the world.
In the late 16th century, wine produced further than 20 leagues from Paris were not allowed to be sold in Paris.
The red Burgundies of the past were probably very different than today. An old text indicates that red wine should be left on the skins for 12 to 15 hours and any more than 24 results in wines that are “very Rude” or “big crude wine without grace.” Today red Burgundy wines are left on the skins for a week to two months.
The dark green bottle was invented in England by Sir Kenelm Digby in the 1600’s. Prior to that wine was always kept in goat skin bags.
Top sommeliers agree that it is not taste that is the most important sense in wine tasting, but smell.
The average age of a French oak tree used to make barrels is 170 years.
Madeira was the wine used by the signers of the Declaration of Independence to toast the occasion.
President Lincoln held a liquor license in Salem, Illinois.
A ‘cork-tease” is someone who talks a lot about the wine they will open but never does.
A person who has a fear or hatred of wine is an oenophobia.
Cistercian and Benedictine monks were the most innovative winemakers in the Middle Ages and were responsible for some of the wine making practices used today.
The ‘cheers’ ritual actually began in the Middle Ages when poisoning was a common form of getting ride of an enemy. To ensure this would not happen, each drinker would first pour a little of their wine into the others glass, before drinking, so if there was poison in one, all others would also contain the poison.
It takes around 4 to 5 years for a newly planted grape vine can be harvested.
One grape vine produces about 10 bottles of wine.
Around 75 grapes are needed to make one glass of wine.
One 750 ml of wine takes approximately 2.4 pounds of grapes and pours 4 to 6 glasses of wine.
One barrel is 59 gallons on wine, taking 740 pounds of grapes and pours 1180 glasses of wine.
A Nebuchadnezzar if the largest bottle of wine made, it contains 15 liters of wine and is equivalent to 20 standard bottles of wine.